Working Together to Shape a Sustainable Future

​Geneva-The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the 2019 World Financial Symposium (WFS) will focus on the theme of shaping a sustainable future together: airlines, IATA and partners.

The world's airlines are expected to report their 10th consecutive annual profit in 2019, but earnings are being squeezed. In June IATA downgraded its outlook to a net profit of $28 billion or just $6.12 per passenger, reduced from an estimated $30 billion in 2018.

"The airline industry is still earning money and we are expecting to deliver a return on invested capital for a record fifth year—but just barely. Rising fuel prices, slowing demand growth, trade wars and geopolitical tensions all are challenging the industry's fortunes. Airline financial organizations will play a vital role in helping to carry the business through this turbulence. WFS provides a forum for finance professionals across the aviation value chain, to discuss and debate the correct strategies to achieving a sustainable future," said Aleks Popovich, IATA's Senior Vice President, Financial and Distribution Services.

The WFS will be held in Miami, 25-26 September 2019. The opening plenary will feature an address by Anko Van der Werff, CEO of Avianca, on the vision for the future. An invitation-only high impact seminar will examine the top challenges for sustainability with a focus on the environment and why it is now a CFO issue. Concurrent session tracks will look at developments in Payment, and Financial Strategy and Risk, covering topics such as:

In addition, the Innovation Jam Session will return for a third year and the Meet the Experts session makes its second appearance. As has become a tradition, the Global Fraud Prevention Event will be held just prior to WFS.